When You're Gone
by AnamariaJovel
Summary: It's time for Annabeth to face the music. This is war, and she can't expect to escape unscathed. Can she? (ONE-SHOT) *Credits to whoever created the Cover-Art that perfectly represents this One-Shot*


_When you're gone, the stars stop aligning._

 _When you're gone, all songs sound out of tune._

 _When you're gone, life stops moving._

 _Everything only reminds me of you…_

"Percy! Open your eyes! DON'T DO THIS TO ME!" I shout like an animal, his body lying on my lap, his eyes shut, a gash across his face. A long golden blade stretches out from his torso covered in blood, the handle stuck in his back, piercing my knee.

"Seaweed Brain! PLEASE!" I yell again, tears streaming down my face. I feel a hand on my shoulder and turn to see Nico kneel beside me.

"He's gone Annabeth…I'm sorry." He says simply. I _refuse_ to believe it. Percy is not dead. HE'S NOT DEAD. I yell again, and push Nico away, returning my attention to Percy. My Seaweed Brain. My love…

"Please, do it for me. I _love_ you…Please. Just open your eyes. I'm begging you, prove Nico wrong." I whisper this time, leaning forward to listen for a heartbeat. His hair sticks to his forehead, glossy in the light. He would never leave me, he's coming back. I know it.

 _When you're gone, the lights start dimming._

 _When you're gone, reality becomes askew._

 _When you're gone, I stop thinking._

 _All I want is to be there with you…_

"Stop messing around Percy. We need to help the others. We can't defeat the Giants if you're just laying here…" I mumble, a hysterical laughter escaping my lips. This is just a cruel game he's playing. Any minute now he'll open those sea-green eyes to surprise me. He'll smile, and kiss me again. I just know it. HE WOULD NEVER LEAVE ME.

He _promised!_

"Wise-Girl?" I hear, but not from Percy. I turn to see Nico return, side by side with a spirit. NO. THAT'S NOT HIM. THAT'S NOT MY SEAWEED BRAIN. I start to sob as they come closer, and Percy's spirit kneels beside me just as Nico did only a few minutes ago.

"No! You're not Percy, he's here with me, and he's going to wake up any minute!" I yell, crying into my hands. I'm not going to look at the spirit. I'm not going to do it. My Percy is going to wake up. He just needs some rest.

That's all.

I feel the spirit put his arms around me, and lower my arms to see Percy's face, staring back at me.

"I'm so sorry Annabeth. I never meant to leave you." He says, his transparent eyes filling with tears.

"You haven't left me. You're right here!" I plead with his ghost, motioning to his body, still against my lap. Nico comes closer to us both, sympathy filling his eyes.

"Annabeth, I brought him here so you could say goodbye. You need to let go. He's not coming back." He whispers to me, Percy taking my hand in his.

"Nico's right. You have to promise me you'll be ok. Please, Wise-Girl." Percy asks me. I just pull my hand away, looking back at Percy's body.

He's only resting. Nico's lying. He has to be! This isn't Percy's ghost, just a hologram or a trick of the Mist or…

I blink back my tears, and look back at the spirit. I can't make myself see someone else anymore. All I see is him.

But…he promised me.

 _When you're gone, the truth seems like a memory._

 _When you're gone, the lies present themselves._

 _When you're gone, I finally stop listening._

 _It's all I can do not to end it all…_

"I can't let you do this! Nico please, you have to save him!" I shout, avoiding looking back into Percy's spirit's eyes. He frowns, looking between Percy and I.

"There's nothing I can do Annabeth. My father is waiting to judge him. I've already let him stay too long…" Nico says solemnly. I start to sob again, bringing my bloodied hands up to hide my face. I feel a gust of wind, and smell the scent of the sea, and when I move my hands again, Percy's spirit and Nico, are gone.

"How could you?" I whisper to Percy's body, trying as best as I can to be angry.

But I can't. I _love_ him.

Bringing him as close as I can to me, I begin to sing to my Seaweed Brain, staring forward at the advancement of Giants' army, rather than at his face.

"When you're gone, my heart stops beating…When you're gone, the world begins to glare…When you're gone, I pretend you're still with me…And no one else even tries to care…" My voice cracks, and I wait for the monsters to come closer before I finally push Percy off of me, and pick myself up to stand.

"I'll be ok, Seaweed Brain. I promise. I _will not_ let them win…" I whisper, not looking back to him. I hear footsteps behind mine, and soon my friends stand by me. Nico must've told them, or they saw his body, because it's clear I'm not the only one that's been crying.

"For Percy," I mumble, grasping for the dagger at my side.

"For Percy!" My friends return, and together we charge…

One less than there was before.

 **A/N: Before everyone starts crying, including myself, I just needed to write this. Ok? Ok. Tell me what you thought about the death of Percy Jackson. And Annabeth's grief, turned rage.**


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